40.2: Introduction

Physci 101 Lab: Physical Science Laboratory Investigations · LibreTexts

0%

Contents

    Text

    Size
    100%
    Theme
    Typeface
    Line length
    Spacing

    From LibreTexts, under CC BY 4.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    Most of the substances you see around you are a combination of elements; they are compounds. Many compounds contain similar elements, and 90% of compounds contain carbon. When energy is added to a substance, the compounds can be broken into new substances which are the products of the chemical reaction. As a candle (\(\ce{C25H52}\)) burns in the oxygen (\(\ce{O2}\)) provided by air, new substances will result. When sugar (\(\ce{C12H22O11}\)) is heated, the molecule will split into three substances. Both wax and sugar decompose into the same products.

    clipboard_e8d3340c97d74019bb232945d0ffccd7f.png
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): An oxygen molecule collides with the Paraffin molecule and reacts with that portion of the molecule.

    This page titled 40.2: Introduction was last modified on Sun, 09 Aug 2026 22:42:39 GMT and is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Teresa Ciardi via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.